Device for inking a roller

ABSTRACT

An inking unit for the printing couple of a double width printing press includes at least one roller. The inking unit consists of at least one, and possibly two chamber doctor blades. If there are two such chamber doctor blades, they are positioned side-by-side in an axial direction of the roller and they can operate independently of each other. If there is only one chamber doctor blade, it can have a length sufficient to enable the side-by-side positioning of at least four newspaper pages. The chamber doctor blade or blades can be positioned against or out of contact with the roller.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a device for inking a roller. Atleast one chamber doctor blade is placed against the roller for inkingit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

DE 44 40 040 A1 discloses an inking unit with a screen roller and adoctor blade. The doctor blade supplies the screen roller with ink.

An inking unit with a doctor blade extending over the entire length of ascreen roller is shown in DE 40 01 734 A1 C2. The doctor blade has aninlet in one area near an end and an outlet in another area near an endfor the ink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to providing a devicefor inking a roller.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained byproviding at least one chamber doctor blade which can be placed againstthe roller for inking the roller. Ink delivery lines or conduits areconnected to the chamber doctor blade near both of its ends. The chamberdoctor blade is supported so that it is pivotable about a shaft. Thechamber doctor blade may have a length of at least four side-by-sidenewspaper pages. An outlet for excess ink may be provided in a centerarea. A pump may be assigned to each of the ink delivery lines orconduits.

The advantages to be gained by the present invention lie, in particular,in that the ink supply to the roller to be inked takes place in acompact, cost-effective and rugged manner at high quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in thedrawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows.

Shown are in:

FIG. 1, an ink delivery device in accordance with the present inventionby the use of two chamber doctor blade bars, in

FIG. 2, an ink delivery by the use of a continuous doctor blade bar, in

FIG. 3, a schematic side elevation view of a delivery device, and in

FIG. 4, a side elevation view of an alternative device for the deliveryof the ink to the doctor blade bar in accordance with the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A printing group having a forme cylinder 01 is embodied, for example, asa double-width printing group of a printing press and has, as may beseen in FIG. 1, for example, in addition to application rollers andreciprocably-moving rollers, a roller 02, and in particular a screenroller 02, to which ink can be applied by the use of at least one doctorblade 03, which may be, for example, a chamber doctor blade 03. By useof the doctor blade 03, ink can possibly also be applied directly to aprinting forme, for example a rotogravure printing forme, of a roller 01embodied as a forme cylinder 01. The printing group, and therefore theforme cylinder 01, are embodied to have a double width. The printinggroup has a length substantially corresponding to four side-by-sidearranged printed pages, and in particular a length corresponding to thewidth of four vertical newspaper pages. In an advantageous embodiment,the printing group is configured as an offset printing group, so thatthe forme cylinder 01 works together with a transfer cylinder, which isnot specifically represented, which transfer cylinder, in turn, workstogether, via the material to be imprinted, with a counter-pressurecylinder. The forme cylinder 01 has on its circumference one or severalprinting formes for planographic printing.

In the first preferred embodiment, two doctor blades 03 are arrangedside-by-side over the length of the forme cylinder 01. These doctorblades are supported on a shaft 04, which is divided in the firstpreferred embodiment, so that each of the two doctor blades 03 can beindividually brought into or out of contact with the roller by thatdoctor blade's shaft segment being pivoted. An actuating assembly 06, orpositioning mechanism 06, which is configured as a pressure mediumcylinder and a lever mechanism, is connected to each shaft segment 04.Each of the two actuating assemblies 06 are preferably configured sothat they can be remote-controlled. Excess ink drips or runs intorespective catch containers 07 which are arranged underneath eachrespective doctor blade 03. These catch containers may be, for example,basins 07, whose bottoms slope in such a way that the ink preferablyruns into the lowest area. In this area of each basin 07 the ink isreturned to the respective doctor blade 03, and in particular to anoutlying area, by at least one pump 08 via a delivery line 09. As alsodepicted in FIG. 2, and described in connection therewith, ink can bedelivered to each doctor blade 03, in each of the two areas of eachdoctor blade near the ends of each doctor blade 03.

In a second preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink deliverydevice has a doctor blade 03 extending over the entire length intendedfor printing, for example a length of four printed pages arrangedside-by-side, which sole doctor blade 03 is arranged on a continuous andpivotable shaft 04. In the second preferred embodiment represented inFIG. 2, two pumps 08 and two delivery lines 09 are provided. These arelocated, in particular, at both sides of a basin 07, which basin alsoextends over the entire length intended for printing, which two pumps 08deliver the ink to the doctor blade 03, and in particularly to each oneof two areas near the two doctor blade ends. The excess ink can run offin the center area of the doctor blade 03, and in particular through anoutlet especially provided for this purpose. In this way, eddies,possibly caused by the ink flow, are preferably located in anon-printing area between two printed pages. The shape of the doctorblade 03, which is configured with a cross section in the shape of apartial circle, also helps in preventing irregularities of the flow andin preventing the sticking of the ink in corner and edge areas of thedoctor blade 03. By the embodiment of the doctor blade 03 extending overthe entire length intended for printing, it is possible to ink theroller 02 continuously, i.e. without a stripe. Actuation of the doctorblade 03 is provided preferably by the provision of two actuatingassemblies 06 assigned to the doctor blade 03, and in particular byremote-controlled actuating assemblies.

The doctor blade or blades 03 is or are preferably embodied in the shapeof a slit tube as the doctor blade chamber which slit tube, in anadvantageous manner, has a working doctor blade and a closing doctorblade in the area of the two spaced, axially extending edges of the slitin the tube.

In a further development, it is possible, with an appropriately stiff orrigid construction of the doctor blade 03, for the pivoting in and outof the one-piece doctor blade 03 to take place by the use of only oneactuating assembly 06, positioned for example, on one of the two sidesor ends of the doctor blade 03, or located in the center of the doctorblade 03. The delivery of ink to the doctor blade 03 can also take placeby the use of only one pump 08 and two delivery lines 09, or possibly bythe use of only one pump 08 and only one delivery lines 09.

As represented in FIG. 3, the movement of the doctor blade, or blades 03in and out of contact with the roller 02 takes place, corresponding toFIGS. 1 and 2, around the shaft, or shafts 04 positioned close to theroller 02. The delivery line 09 is embodied to be flexible, for example,and in particular is embodied as a hose 09. Alternatively, it can alsobe of advantage to arrange the pivot axis of the actuating assembly 06at the height of the basin, or basins 07, as represented in FIG. 4. Inthis configuration, the ink can be delivered in a non-movable rigidline, which is not specifically represented here, and wherein arotatable coupling must be provided in the area of the pivot axis of thedoctor blade lever.

In a correspondingly rigid embodiment, the doctor blade 03 depicted inFIG. 2 as extending over the entire width of the roller 02, can also beapplied in connection with even wider rollers 01, 02, for example withrollers 01, 02 having a width of six printed pages. In this case, threedoctor blades 03, or two doctor blades 03, each extending overrespectively two or three printed pages, are arranged side-by-side, forexample, in a manner similar to that depicted in the embodiment inaccordance with FIG. 1.

While preferred embodiments of a device for inking a roller, inaccordance with the present invention, have been described fully andcompletely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the artthat various changes in, for example, the type of ink being used, thetype of ink pump used and the like could be made without departing fromthe true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordinglyto be limited only by the appended claims.

1-21. (Cancelled)
 22. A device for inking a roller comprising: at leastone chamber doctor blade adapted to be placed against the roller;delivery lines for delivering ink to said at least one chamber doctorblade; said at least one chamber doctor blade having end areas, saiddelivery lines being received in said end areas; and a chamber doctorblade length, said length being at least that of two side-by-sidearranged newspaper pages.
 23. The device of claim 22 further including acenter area of said at least one chamber doctor blade and an excess inkoutlet in said center area.
 24. The device of claim 22 further includingtwo of said chamber doctor blades arranged side-by-side in an axialdirection of the roller.
 25. The device of claim 22 wherein said chamberdoctor blade length is at least four side-by-side arranged newspaperpages and further including a pump for each of said delivery lines. 26.The device of claim 22 further including a shaft, said at least onechamber doctor blade being pivotable about said shaft.
 27. The device ofclaim 26 further including an actuating means for pivoting said at leastone chamber doctor.
 28. The device of claim 22 further including apivotable shaft, said at least one chamber doctor blade being seated onsaid pivotable shaft.
 29. The device of claim 28 further including anactuating means for pivoting said pivotable shaft.
 30. The device ofclaim 26 wherein said shaft is a split shaft.
 31. The device of claim 28wherein said shaft is a split shaft.
 32. The device of claim 22 furtherincluding a pump for each said ink delivery line.
 33. The device ofclaim 22 further including a common pump for said delivery lines. 34.The device of claim 22 further including a catch container extendingover said chamber doctor blade length and beneath said at least onechamber doctor blade.
 35. The device of claim 22 wherein said at leastone chamber doctor blade has a cross-section in the shape of a part of acircle.
 36. The device of claim 22 further including actuating means formoving said at least one doctor blade into and out of contact with theroller.
 37. The device of claim 24 further including an actuating meansfor moving each of said two chamber doctor blades into and out ofcontact with the roller.
 38. The device of claim 22 wherein the rolleris an inking unit roller.
 39. The device of claim 22 wherein the rolleris a screen roller.
 40. The device of claim 22 wherein the roller is acylinder adapted to support a printing forme.
 41. The device of claim 22further including a working doctor blade and a closing doctor blade onsaid at least one chamber doctor blade.
 42. The device of claim 22wherein said at least one chamber doctor blade is a split tube.